Emelie Rohne EKHK18 Bachelor’s thesis (15 credits ECTS) June 2012 Supervisor: Tobias Karlsson Examiner: Benny Carlson Bachelor’s of Science Program in Development Studies Public Works Programs as a Development Strategy for Marginalized Groups: A case study of tribal MNREGA-participants in Wayanad, Kerala Abstract: In recent years, the practice of adopting Public Works Programs (PWPs) as a development strategy has increased in developing countries. Successful PWPs have the potential to act as a social protection scheme for the poor and stimulate their economic development. In 2006, the Indian government launched the yet largest PWP, as a way to create a more inclusive growth in the country – the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA). As a PWP is most needed by the weakest sections of the society this study has grasped the opportunity to investigate how MNREGA is faring as a development strategy for one of the weakest sections of the Indian society, the Scheduled Tribes. Based on a qualitative field study in Wayanad – the district with the largest tribal population in the South-Indian State Kerala – the study investigates how MNREGA is affecting the personal economic situation of its tribal participants. Through its qualitative approach the study sets out to understand the effects of MNREGA-participation in practice, an important factor to understand in order to understand the overall effects of the scheme. Within the focus of MNREGA as a PWP, three features have been given special emphasis: the wage level, the timing of the scheme and the outcome of ‘self-targeting’ in relation to access to the created assets of the program. The findings suggest that while MNREGA has succeeded in creating more work opportunities, the program is not optimally designed as a PWP concerning its too low wage level, and that the implementation falls short concerning the current poor timing throughout the year and inadequate creation of productive assets. Emelie Rohne This study has been carried out within the framework of the Minor Field Study (MFS) Scholarship Programme, funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida). The MFS Scholarship Programme gives Swedish university students the opportunity to carry out fieldwork in low- and middle income countries, or more specifically in the countries included on the DAC List of ODA Recipients, in relation to their Bachelor’s or Master’s thesis. Sida’s main purpose with the MFS Scholarship Programme is to stimulate the students’ interest in, as well as increasing their knowledge and understanding of development issues. The Minor Field Studies provide the students with practical experience of field work in developing settings. A further aim of Sida is to strengthen the cooperation between Swedish university departments and institutes and organisations in these countries. The Department of Human Geography at Lund University is one of the departments that administer MFS Programme funds. 1 Emelie Rohne Table of Content 1. Introduction ......................................................................................................................................... 4 Aim ...................................................................................................................................................... 5 Research questions ............................................................................................................................. 6 Limitations ........................................................................................................................................... 6 2. Theoretical framework ........................................................................................................................ 7 Introduction to Public Works Programs (PWPs) ................................................................................. 7 The appropriate wage level ............................................................................................................. 8 The timing of the program .............................................................................................................. 9 The self-targeting aspect in relation to created assets ................................................................... 9 3. Background of the study ................................................................................................................... 11 Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act ......................................................... 11 The aim of MNREGA ...................................................................................................................... 12 The implementation process ......................................................................................................... 12 MNREGA – six years in ................................................................................................................... 13 The Scheduled Tribes in the Indian society ....................................................................................... 14 The locality of the study: Wayanad, Kerala ....................................................................................... 14 The history of Wayanad ................................................................................................................ 15 Scheduled Tribes in Kerala and Wayanad ..................................................................................... 16 The cash crop crisis ........................................................................................................................ 17 Previous research .................................................................................................................................. 18 4. Methodology ..................................................................................................................................... 21 Research design ................................................................................................................................. 21 Data collection ................................................................................................................................... 21 Primary sources: Interviews .......................................................................................................... 22 Secondary sources: Written material ............................................................................................ 24 Analytical framework ........................................................................................................................ 24 System of presenting the data .......................................................................................................... 25 5. Analysis and discussion ..................................................................................................................... 26 Theme 1: How has MNREGA affected the economic situation of the Scheduled Tribes? ................ 26 Theme 2: The wage level ................................................................................................................... 31 Theme 3: The timing of the MNREGA-work ...................................................................................... 33 Theme 4: Self-targeting and access to productive assets ................................................................. 35 Data discussion .................................................................................................................................. 37 2 Emelie Rohne 6. Conclusion ......................................................................................................................................... 40 Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................................... 42 Appendices ............................................................................................................................................ 43 Appendix 1 ......................................................................................................................................... 43 Appendix 2 ......................................................................................................................................... 46 Appendix 3 ......................................................................................................................................... 47 Appendix 4 ......................................................................................................................................... 48 References ............................................................................................................................................. 49 3 Emelie Rohne 1. Introduction In February 2006, the Indian government launched the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (now Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Guarantee Act), MNREGA1 – the largest public employment program ever in history. The Act guarantees 100 working days to all rural citizens and was initiated to create a more inclusive growth in India through its economic support to the poor. The current study will from an economic-historic perspective investigate how MNREGA has affected one of the weakest sections of the Indian society, the Scheduled Tribes (STs). As the largest public employment program ever, MNREGA provides an interesting opportunity to explore the workings of such a program – an